Myra's Kitchen Blog » Savory Breakfast Muffins

In today’s Breakfast Muffins Video I demonstrate how to make two different kinds of vegetable muffins. These light, yet substantial morsels make a quick breakfast-on-the-go, or a convenient elegant vegetarian side dish. They last for four or five days in the refrigerator, ready to be reheated and enjoyed at a moment’s notice.

The first muffin shown in the video is the curried cauliflower version. Here’s how to make it: Start with a large head of cauliflower, which yields 10 to 12 cups when cut into florets. Take 1/3 of those florets, slice them, toss them in a light coating of olive oil with a bit of salt, and spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast in a preheated 400˚ oven for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, steam the remainder of the cauliflower until very tender, then transfer to a large bowl and mash until crumbly. While the cauliflower is roasting and steaming, sauté 2 cups red onions in 2 tablespoons ghee until softened. Stir in 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and 2 cloves minced garlic. At this point, you’ll notice that the kitchen smells so enticing! Transfer this aromatic melange to the bowl of steamed, mashed cauliflower. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, a dash of cayenne and black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and a couple tablespoons cornmeal. Bind the vegetables with 3 lightly beaten eggs.

By this time, the roasted cauliflower is ready to remove from the oven. Set aside 12 slices to crown the top of the muffins. Chop the remainder of the roasted cauliflower into small pieces, and stir into the bowl with a few tablespoons chopped cilantro. The verdant-flecked yellow cauliflower mix positively glows! Spoon evenly into muffin tins—the silicon kind is my favorite for ease—and bake about 20 minutes until golden and firm.

The second muffin presented in the video is a take-off on a spanakopita. To begin, sauté a cup of chopped onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until nice and softened, about 7 minutes. Let the onions cook while you wilt the greens. In the video version, I use a combination of Swiss chard and spinach—a pound and a half all together, but use whatever greens looks freshest and most appealing. Wilt the washed greens in a skillet, using tongs to push the wilted leaves to the bottom. There’s no need to add extra liquid, and there’s no need to use a large skillet; the big pile of greens you started with shrinks down to an astonishingly small amount! You do need to drain the cooking liquid from the wet greens well, however. To do this, let them cool in a strainer and grab handfuls from which to wring out the excess liquid. Alternatively, transfer the greens to a ricer— I show this technique in the video—and squeeze out the liquid while the greens are piping hot. What a great use for a tool designed for potatoes! Next, dump the greens out on a cutting board, chop them into small pieces, and transfer them to a bowl.

Now stir in the rest of the ingredients. Fresh herbs enliven the mixture; the combination of 1/4 cup dill and 1/2 cup parsley lends delightful freshness. Sprinkle in some nutmeg and mix in a 1 1/2 cups feta cheese. Goat’s or sheep’s milk are especially delicious and digestible. Add 2 tablespoons of your favorite flour—I use rice in the video—and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and salt. 4 eggs bind the mixture together; now the batter is ready to be divided into muffin holders and baked to perfection, about 20 minutes at 375˚.

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